Quest for Life
by Zephyros
Summary: I will not put up Chapter 6 until I get 6 reviews total. A Drow Elf, living a life of stealing is caught and to be killed but saved by the gods to do some tasks.
1. Caught in the Act

Quest for Life  
BY: Shinto of Lave  
  
Chapter 1  
  
The sun crept down toward its nightly resting place and the people of the city were lying  
down in their nightly resting places.  
  
A dark shape moved against the dark side of a building, without making a simple noise. He  
wore all black, from head to toe, along with having a slim sword strapped to his back.  
  
Another shaped popped up out of nowhere, right in front of the first shape. The new one  
also wore all black and carried a short sword in its diminutive hand.  
  
"Get out of my way, stupid little halfling!" the first snarled.  
  
"When's supper? I haven't eaten since dinner." The halfling whimpered back, his lower lip  
quivering.  
  
The first shape rummaged in his pockets and pulled out some jerky then shoved it at the  
halfling.  
  
"Now be quiet! And put that thing away before you hurt someone, namely me!" the first  
shape said.  
  
The halfling strapped his short sword on his back then eagerly started to nibble on the  
jerky.  
  
"Dinan, Who are we stealing from today?" The halfling asked between nibbles.  
  
"Tasslehorn, Keep your mouth shut when you eat, I don't want to see your food. We are  
going after one of the rich families, the Vanderhalls." The first shape replied.  
  
The pair quickly left their place and quietly ran to the other side of the town. They  
scaled a tower next to a gigantic manor, guarded by a high wall.  
  
"Don't forget to give me the warning if the Centurions come. Last time we barely got  
away because you didn't give me the signal." Dinan scolded Tas before slid across the  
wire to the manor.  
  
Dinan quickly undid the window locks and slid into the manor. He landed on plush carpet  
in a huge room full of books.  
  
"Great, I'm in the study." Dinan thought to himself.  
  
He flipped through a few books, stuffing 2 books into his tunic, and then bolting to the  
next room.  
  
The next room was a guest room. Dinan scanned the room but nothing of value showed up.  
He sprinted to the door to the next room. He could hear light breathing.  
  
"Yes, the Master Bedroom!" Dinan thought, mentally patted himself on the back.  
  
He crept into the room along the floor and right up to the bed. He peeked over the edge  
of the bed and saw a sight that made his blood go cold.  
  
"Dinan Ko'Tret, you are under arrest for stealing. Come peacefully or we will have to  
incapacitate you." The Head Centurion stated plainly.  
  
A squad of ten Centurions and the Head Centurion were standing on the other side of the  
bed. All eleven held their dwarven-made long swords out, ready to attack if they head to.  
  
"I give up." Dinan sighed as he slowly took his sword off his back and laid it at the  
Centurions feet.  
  
"Thank you, Sir Vanderhall, for letting us use your house to catch this thief." The Head  
Centurions smiled then turned to face Dinan," Where's your partner?"  
  
"I don't have one." Dinan replied coldly.  
  
"We know you do! Where is the Halfling?" a centurion snarled, his sword rose above his head.  
  
"He is in the tower to the west of the house, on the top floor." Dinan sighed.  
  
Two Centurions started to walk forward to take Dinan when their heads rolled off their  
shoulders.  
  
"You thought I'd give up to you." Dinan laughed as he looked at his blade, dripping the  
blood of the two Centurions.  
  
Dinan bolted out of the room but didn't get too far when a pan came down on his head,  
knocking him unconscious. 


	2. Intervention

Quest for Life  
BY:Shinto of Lave  
  
  
Chapter 2  
  
"What...what happened?" Dinan mumbled as he slowly came too.  
  
"You were conked on the head with a pot by a maid! I thought elves were graceful and  
could never be conked with a simple pot." Tasslehorn gibbered from a corner of the  
room.  
  
Dinan's eyesight became fuzzy and he could make out the design of steel bars all  
around him and a fuzzy shape. It finally came back fully and he could see Tasslehorn  
fettered to the wall with 2-inch thick chains.  
  
Dinan tried to move his hand but found it shackled to a stone wall that even a golem  
couldn't break through with all its might.  
  
"Good to see the elf is awake. I can't wait for dawn to come, then you'll get what  
you deserve!" a guard chuckled then dangled Dinan's sword into the cage," Do you want  
this? So that you can kill me!"  
  
A party of two sentries that was just passing the cell, burst up laughing. They fell  
to the floor in fits of hefty laughter.  
  
"You wouldn't laugh if I was free. You'd be dead!" Dinan snarled like a lion.  
  
The guards' laughter stopped dead as Dinan's statement. Dinan allowed a little smile  
at this.  
  
"You're dead!" the guard laughed as he left.  
  
"Why did you tell them where I was?" Tasslehorn hollered at Dinan once the guards were  
gone.  
  
"I thought I could kill them, so the info would be of no use. I didn't know about the  
maid." Dinan plainly stated, dropping his head against his chest.  
  
There was no reply from the halfling.  
  
-----------------------------------------------  
"Bring out the Drow and Halfling! They will pay for their deeds with their miserable  
lives!" the crowd of High Class people roared from their private stands, to be away  
from the Commoners.  
  
Dinan and Tas were yanked out of their cell and drug through the city behind a guard  
on horseback. Along the way, Commoners, hired by the High Classmen, threw rotten tomatoes,  
cabbage, and some threw rocks.  
  
By the time the two got to the city square they were covered in rotten food and each had  
at least 3 cuts from rocks.  
  
"Do you have anything to say before you're killed?" the black hooded executioner grinned  
as he raised his broad sword.  
  
"Death to all selfish imbeciles!" Dinan roared as the shining blade came thundering down.  
  
The blade struck Dinan full force on the back of his neck but bit into no flesh. The blade  
clattered out of the mighty hands of the executioner, who fell to his knees at the  
overwhelming sight.  
  
Standing next to Dinan, was Mystra, Goddess of Magic and Helm, Lord of Protection.  
  
"No one shall harm these two, for they are in the protection of two gods. They are destined  
to serve us and have yet to serve their purpose." Mystra calmly stated, though her voice was  
that of a thunderclap.  
  
"We did not mean upset you, Lady Mystra. We knew not that you protected them. Please forgive  
our mistake." Deniran, King of the city graveled from his throne.  
  
"We forgive you of your mistake. We will not punish you for what you did not know." Helm  
answered as Mystra undid the ropes around Dinan and Tasslehorn.  
  
"Now, we leave with our people and hope that your majestic city thrive once more." Mystra  
proclaimed as the four lifted into the air and floated away to the south. 


	3. Ring in Waterdeep

Quest for Life  
BY: Shinto of Lave  
  
Dinan: Shinto, where's the disclaimer?  
Shinto: Right here. *opens paper and reads* Man I love Forgotten Realms. I wish I owned it  
but I don't.  
Dinan:Good Job. Want a treat?  
Shinto: *Hit Dinan over the head with his staff*   
  
Chapter 3  
  
"Thank you, thank you, thank you for saving our lives. Now we can live our lives again. See  
you later." Tasslehorn gibbered as the four set down a mile outside the city.  
  
"Tas, we are supposed to do tasks for these two, not just give them a thank you for saving  
our lives. Please tell us, what is your task for us to do?" Dinan asked warmly as he bowed  
to the two gods.  
  
"I have a task for thee. Go to Waterdeep and there, meet up with the mage, Elminster. In  
Waterdeep, I can feel a magic item, a ring, which was taken off one of my clerics after  
her death. I wish that you might bring it back to me." Mystra answered.  
  
"I will do this task.' Dinan smiled.  
  
"Sure, I'll go too." Tasslehorn grumbled.  
  
"Dinan let me see your Ring of Infrared Vision." Mystra asked kindly as Dinan slid the ring  
off.  
  
Mystra chanted a small spell and the ring flared for a second.  
  
"I've added Mage Sight to the ring, so you can see magic when you go switch your vision into  
it, just like your infrared vision." Mystra instructed as she handed the ring back.  
  
"Before you go, I have some gifts for you. Dinan, here is some chain mail and two hand axes,  
sorry that they're dull. Tasslehorn, here is some chain mail and a new short sword for you."  
Helm said as he handed items to Dinan and Tas.  
  
"Better be off." Dinan said a few minutes later, after he had slipped on the chain mail and  
holstered his axes at his waist.  
  
Once Dinan and Tasslehorn got out of human earshot of the gods, Tas started complaining.  
  
"Why do we have to do this?" Tas whined.  
  
"They saved our lives. The least we can do is to get a simple ring for Mystra." Dinan replied,  
a little too harshly.  
  
The two-day walk to Waterdeep was uneventful except when Tas kept up his whining and Dinan came  
close to striking him.  
  
"Now where's this mage we're supposed to find?" Dinan wondered as he scanned the market in  
Waterdeep.  
  
It was cramped and there was little room to stand and look around. Dinan had to push himself  
out of the crowd and stand on a building to see.  
  
A finger tapped Dinan on the shoulder. Dinan thought it was just Tas playing a trick or  
something.  
  
"What do you want, Tas?" Dinan asked, not even turning around.  
  
"I am looking for a Dinan and Tasslehorn. Do you know them?" a voice said from behind Dinan.  
  
He whirled around and stood facing a man in long robes and holding a staff. His face seemed  
to hold unthinkable knowledge and much wisdom.  
  
"I am Dinan, sent to find the Mage, Elminster by Mystra, Goddess of Magic." Dinan replied.  
  
"I am Elminster. Where's your partner?" the man asked, looking around.  
  
"Right here!" a voice said from behind Elminster.  
  
Tas walked around him and stood next to Dinan. Tas' pockets bulged with many items (most of  
them stolen).  
  
"I believe that a mage has the ring hidden in his house in Waterdeep. We should check the  
houses of the mages." Elminster stated to the duo.  
  
"I think it's most likely in some vendor's booth, not even knowing what it is other than a  
ring." Dinan shot back.  
  
"You want to contradict me! I have been around for many more years than the ether of you."  
Elminster shot back.  
  
"Fine! We'll do it your way but I still think I'm right." Dinan compromised.  
  
The trio sent out and searched through four houses, finding nothing but the normal magic  
items that a mage would have.  
  
"Do we have to go into this house? We haven't found the ring in the other four houses."  
Tasslehorn whined as they neared the fifth and last mage's house.  
  
Elminster waved his staff as the halfling and Tas kept his mouth shut after that.  
  
The trio carefully got into the house and started to go through the items. Tas occasionally  
would stuff something into his jerkin.  
  
"Not here. I told you, Mage!" Dinan whispered harshly as they started to leave.  
  
"Leaving so soon are we?" a voice questioned from behind them.  
  
Dinan pivoted and looked face to face with a man standing there with many rings on his  
fingers. He wore an evil smirk on his face as he readied a spell.  
  
"Stop!" Elminster shouted, as the mage was about to fire.  
  
"Elminster, I didn't see you there. Why are you and these two thieves here in my house?" the  
mage replied.  
  
"I was sent by Mystra to find a magic item and I thought you might have it. I am sorry, we  
will leave." Elminster stated as he bowed.  
  
The trio left the house and walked down the street.  
  
"I can't believe that you were wrong. Do you even have a brain up there?" Dinan lashed out at  
Elminster.  
  
"I bet you that you can't find the ring. If you find it, I will be your servant." Elminster  
shot back.  
  
"Deal!"  
  
Dinan bolted away, in the direction of the market with Tas right behind him.  
  
The duo looked through the whole marketplace and found many items that they bought (or Tas  
'borrowed').  
  
"I knew you couldn't find it!" Elminster snorted.  
  
"Wait!" Dinan replied as he activated his Mage Sight.  
  
Dinan did another search of every stand until he came to a jewelry stand with many gold  
rings and pendants. He rifled through a pile of rings and pulled out a ring that bore  
old runes on its surface and shined blue in his Mage Sight. He also picked up a dagger  
that rested on the table that shone blue in his Mage Sight.  
  
"I'd like to buy these." Dinan said as he handed the booth owner 20 gold coins.  
  
"We can now return to Mystra. Oh, Elminster, you don't need to be my servant but thanks  
for the offer." Dinan laughed as he slid the ring on his hand and holstered the dagger  
in a hidden pocket.  
  
The three made the two-day walk back to Mystra's Shrine. Dinan and Elminster started to  
warm up to each other but it was very unstable.  
  
"Oh Lady Mystra, accept this ring that we have found for you." Elminster prayed as he  
laid the ring on the alter in the shrine.  
  
There was a sudden light and Mystra along with Helm were standing behind the alter.  
  
"Thank you Elminster for helping these two in their task. You have always been faithful  
to me." Mystra calmly stated.  
  
"Is it the right ring? How I wouldn't like to go back to Waterdeep." Tasslehorn asked  
from behind the mage.  
  
"This is the right ring. It is a Ring of Invisibility." Mystra replied.  
  
"I now have a task for the two of you. One of my clerics needs help to defend the pass  
into the Icewind Dale. Would you please go and help her?" Helm asked.  
  
"I will go. I still owe you for my life." Dinan said as he bowed low to Helm.  
  
"If he's going, I might go." Tas sighed.  
  
"Dinan, before you go, take this and wear it always so it can be seen. It is my symbol  
and it will let my cleric know that you are the ones that are to help her. It should  
also help people from trying to kill you because of your heritage." Helm said as he  
handed Dinan a medallion that had the image of a gauntlet with an eye on the back of  
the glove.  
  
"We're off." Tas said as he turned to leave.  
  
"I'll catch up." Dinan said then went over to Mystra," Lady Mystra, may I carry the  
Ring of Invisibility? I will only use it if I am in trouble of being killed."  
  
Mystra whispered a spell on the ring then handed it over, saying, "You may carry it  
but if it is used for evil, it will reverse it's effects and wont come off without  
my hands."  
  
Dinan slid it on then bolted after his halfling partner. 


	4. Trip to the Pass

Quest for Life  
By: Shinto of Lave  
Chapter 4  
  
Shinto:Why do I have to talk about a Disclaimer?  
  
Dinan: If you don't, you can get sued for every piece of gold you and your parents got.  
  
Shionto: OK. I don't own forgotten Realms but I do own Dinan, Silvara and Tasslehorn.  
  
Dinan: You don't own me. I own myself. *Takes out two axes and chases Shinto*  
  
  
"Dinan, come back to me. You can be the most powerful in my service." A voice whispered  
in Dinan's dream.  
  
"I'd rather be bound and slowly killed from the inside out by bugs than to serve one as  
foul as you, Lloth." Dinan screamed back at the voice.  
  
"Than you shall meet your doom how you so nicely put it." Lloth replied as she pulled  
herself back to the Abyss where she lived.  
  
Dinan woke with a start and groggily looked around the small campsite.  
  
The fire was now just an ember in the fire pit and Tasslehorn was snoring away from his  
side of the fire.  
  
"I'll never serve you Lloth!" Dinan yelled to thin air.  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Hand over the weapon now." The hobgoblin grumbled at the cleric that kneeled at its feet.  
  
"You will have to pull it from my cold dead hands." The cleric roared back as he said a  
little prayer to Gond.  
  
The hobgoblin raised his club and swung down, smashing the cleric in the face. The cleric  
stumbled back and unsheathed a small ax that seemed to burn crimson in his hand.  
  
The cleric didn't even get to strike; he was suddenly a pincushion, full of arrows. He  
slumped to the ground and whispered a single word before he was silent forever.  
  
"Now get that weapon!" the hobgoblin hollered at a goblin.  
  
The thing shuttled up to the cleric's body and slowly reached down to grab the weapon in  
the cleric's hand. The goblin turned to ash as his finger just barely touched the ax.  
  
The hobgoblin ran forward and grabbed the ax before it could recharge. He raised it  
triumphantly.  
  
"Lord Myrkul will be pleased." The hobgoblin sneered as he wrapped the ax then shoved it  
into a pouch.  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Dinan and Tas walked for many hours the next day and Tas' whining increased tenfold.  
  
"Dinan, lets just forget about this. If we listen to those two idiots, we'll just get killed.  
Our lives mean more than being pawns to the gods. If they need anything done, they can do it  
themselves!" Tas grumbled louder than an enraged mother bear.  
  
"Will you shut up? Tas, I have had it with your whining. You didn't have to come. We already  
finished one task. You could of left instead of following me on this task. I have a  
responsibility to Helm and Mystra because if they wouldn't of saved me, I would be down in  
Myrkul's Realm doing I don't even want to know what." Dinan shot back with so much strength  
that Tas was sent flying back.  
  
Tas kept his mouth shut for a few minutes.  
  
Around nightfall, as Dinan was setting up camp, he stumbled across a body full of arrows. Tas  
was out looking for firewood.  
  
"A cleric of Gond!" Dinan gasped as he turned the body over.  
  
Dinan quickly looked around then gently closed the cleric's eyes and said a little prayer to  
Helm.  
  
"May you live forever in the care of your god." Dinan whispered.  
  
Dinan gently laid his hand on the man's forehead and concentrated. A picture started to form in  
Dinan's mind.  
  
It was an image of the hobgoblin and of the cleric's last journey.  
  
"I must take Forestfire to Silvara, Cleric of Helm. She will need it to fight the goblins." The  
cleric's voice whispered in Dinan's mind as an image of a hand ax emerged with the voice.  
  
Dinan took his hand away then reverently said, "I will continue your journey and see it to its  
end."  
  
Dinan slid his sight into the infrared spectrum and looked around. There were very faint heat  
signatures but they could be followed.  
  
Dinan set off to follow them. He raced along the trail left by the goblins for many hours until  
he started to near their camp.  
  
He crept into their camp and looked around. He saw many sleeping goblins, many of them snoring  
so loud Dinan vibrated slightly.  
  
"I bet Lord Myrkul will reward us for get this. What do you want from him as a reward?" a voice  
asked from a campfire a few feet away from Dinan.  
  
"I want... if any of you bumbling idiots are trying to play a trick, I'll have you run through  
with a rusting pike." A commanding voice ordered, "Get out here so I can see your face!"  
  
Dinan walked out from his hiding place and bowed low. He held out his hands to show he had to  
weapons out to hurt them.  
  
"My name is Dinan Ko'Tret. I have come to the surface on a task from my Lady, Lloth. I only seek  
protection so that I might refresh myself so that I might go further on." Dinan humbly asked the  
hobgoblin, which owned the voice.  
  
"My name is Gortzen. You may refresh yourself with us, for we too serve a mighty god and will help  
you." The hobgoblin replied with a bow of his own.  
  
Dinan kneeled by the fire and pulled a piece of dried meat from a pouch, taking a small bite.  
  
"Now, I would want Lord Myrkul to give me a maid that will stay with me. Not many maids will  
even come near me." Gortzen laughed.  
  
"Dinan, what is your task that brings you to the surface?" a goblin asked from across the fire.  
  
"I was sent by Lloth to find some rogue Drow that came to the surface. She wants her to be  
brought back and sacrificed by her mother." Dinan stated between bites of meat.  
  
"I'd hate to be her when you find her." Gortzen laughed as he lay back against a tree.  
  
Dinan surveyed the group around the fire then slid his magic dagger out of its hidden pocket. He  
spun it between his fingers, letting the others think he was imagining it wound a Drow female. He  
was actually thinking of it slitting their throats.  
  
The group talked for a few hours before two goblins got up to take over guard duty. Gortzen and  
the goblin that had served duty with Gortzen went to sleep. Dinan stayed up because he didn't  
sleep but he slipped into reverie.  
  
After the guards thought he was completely in reverie, they left him alone. He slipped out of  
the sleep and took out his dagger again.  
  
He slipped up behind a guard and slit his throat without a sound. Dinan slinked up to the second  
guard and stabbed him in the back with his own sword, but not killed before he let out a warning.  
  
The camp was turmoil in milliseconds. All the sleeping goblins were up expecting an army. All  
they saw was a single Drow elf holding a dagger.  
  
"Dinan, what happened?" Gortzen groggily asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.  
  
Dinan shook his head and launched a steel dagger. It embedded hilt-deep in a goblin's forehead.  
  
"I would never serve a god like your Lord Myrkul or the foul Lady Lloth!" Dinan roared.  
  
The air was suddenly full of arrows but none were aimed higher than Dinan's chest. They just  
bounced off, not getting past the chain mail that he wore.  
  
Dinan slipped his axes out and bolted toward the group of twenty goblins. He hacked and slashed  
at the goblins. Within a few minutes, the group was covered in goblin entrails and only one left.  
  
"Hand over the weapon Gortzen!" Dinan hollered at the cowering hobgoblin.  
  
Gortzen shoved his hand into his pouch then pulled it out and threw a fine red dust in Dinan's  
face. Dinan slammed his axes together in blind fury and heard a satisfying slurp.  
  
Dinan leaned down and rummaged in the hobgoblin's pouch. He pulled out a few more small pouches  
of dust, two daggers and the ax, still wrapped in cloth. He took the cloth off and gripped the  
handle.  
  
The ax lit up with a crimson color that quickly wrapped around Dinan's whole body. It felt like  
every nerve was being broiled out of him.  
  
The color left and Dinan slumped to the ground, unconscious.  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Tasslehorn walks back to camp with a huge pile of wood. He could barely walk but made it back  
to camp without getting hurt.  
  
"Dinan, I've got the wood." Tas called but no reply came, "Dinan?"  
  
Tas gently put the wood near the fire pit and looked around for Dinan. After a few minutes he  
found the cleric's body.  
  
"I wonder what happened. I'll start a fire and hopefully Dinan will show up soon." Tasslehorn  
shrugged as he turn around went back to the fire pit.  
  
Tasslehorn cooked himself a good supper then relaxed next to the fire, carving a block of wood  
he had picked up in Waterdeep. He was trying to make it look like a small bust of Elminster.  
  
An hour later, Tas had gotten bored and was looking through his items when a hand touched his  
shoulder.  
  
" Where have you been Dinan?" Tas scolded as he turned around.  
  
He was facing a man that was grossly disfigured with skin hanging off bleached bones and some  
patches of exposed bone. He wore a torn tunic along with tatters that Tas believed to have  
once been a fine gold cloak.  
  
"My little Tasslehorn, you are looking fine today. I've heard Helm and Mystra saved you before  
you lost your life a week or so ago." The man wheezed out of a lipless mouth.  
  
"Who are you? How do you know my name?" Tasslehorn growled.  
  
"I am Lord Myrkul, God of Death, Destruction and Decay. I want you to follow me so that you might  
see what you would become if you follow Helm or Mystra." The man smiled as he turned around and  
waved a skeletal hand in the air.  
  
The air shimmered and an image appeared. It showed Tas wearing the symbol of Helm and was dressed  
in flowing robes. He wore no weapons or armor.  
  
"You are Priest of Helm. You cannot use any bladed weapons but you are safe in Helm's might."  
Myrkul sneered, seeing Tas' discomfort.  
  
Tasslehorn loved his armor and his short sword. He wouldn't give them up for anything or anyone.  
  
The imaged changed and showed Tas wearing the symbol of Mystra. He wore long robes again and  
walked with the help of a staff. His eyes were sunken into his head and his mouth was shut  
tighter than a steel trap.  
  
"Here you are a Mage, a position you liked when you were younger. You may still be able to used  
your sword but magic will have taken you over, leaving you a mere husk of yourself." Myrkul  
again sneered, seeing Tas' discomfort.  
  
Tasslehorn drew his sword and tried to hack the images out of the air. He didn't do anything  
other than swing his sword franticly.  
  
The imaged changed again and this time it showed Tas standing over the body of a dead warrior. He  
was clad in silver armor to look like a demon and he held a short sword that glowed with a blood  
red color.  
  
"This is what you will be if you follow me. I will make you a warrior that can shake the realms  
with a thought." Myrkul said with a smirk.  
  
Tasslehorn's eyes bulged at the image and at the thought of being that powerful. He kneeled  
before the god of death and proclaimed, "I will follow you, my lord!"  
  
Myrkul gently laid his hand of Tas' bowed head and whispered a single arcane phrase. A cloud of  
blood red dust rose around them and was sucked into Tasslehorn's body.  
  
"You will be my greatest follower." Myrkul proclaimed as Tas fell to the ground.  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Dinan woke with a start. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and looked around. The ground was  
littered with goblin bodies and the moon still shone brightly out of the west.  
  
"I will finish your journey, Cleric!" Dinan yelled to the wind as he raised the ax above his head.  
  
Dinan strapped the new ax into a back holster and started back for his camp.  
  
The wind blew strong and cold but Dinan felt no cold because of the power of the ax.  
  
As he neared came, he saw Tasslehorn snoozing next to the fire and he slipped quietly into camp.  
He couldn't sleep and the sun would rise in a few hours, so he took the ax from it's holster and  
looked it over.  
  
The ax looked like dwarfs that had trained long and hard, and had put most of their energy and  
life into the ax made it. It had an image of a burning hand blazed onto the blade. It also had  
elven runes carved neatly along the top of the blade, which Dinan couldn't read. It glowed with  
a constant crimson aura and it felt warm to Dinan's touch.  
  
Dinan stirred the embers in the pit then went back to studying the ax.  
  
"I will take this to Silvara, whoever she is?" Dinan said as he laughed at the second part.  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
The duo walked for three more weeks, each day it getting a little colder. By the time they  
reached Dead Orc Pass, they were both wearing winter cloaks and tunics.  
  
"Halt! Who come through the pass?" a feminine but commanding voice boomed off the rocks of the  
pass.  
  
Dinan fumbled for Helm's symbol, which had been stuff inside his tunic. He got it out and yelled,  
"Lord Helm, God of Guardians and Protection has sent me, Dinan Ko'Tret and my partner,  
Tasslehorn Thornfield, to help a cleric of his."  
  
A cloaked shape appeared from the rocks to the left and slowly walked forward. The shape carried  
a quarterstaff and a steel-tipped whip at its side.  
  
The shape threw back its hood to reveal a female Drow's face. Dinan reflexively unsheathed his  
axes and had them up to attack.  
  
"I am Silvara, Cleric of Helm. Yes, I am a female Drow from the city of Menzoberranzan. I mean  
you and your partner no trouble, mighty Dinan." The Drow said as she bowed to the duo.  
  
Dinan sheathed his axes then his eyes grew big.  
  
"You said your name was Silvara? I found a cleric of Gond dead, he had a mission to bring you  
this ax." Dinan said as he handed the ax over to Silvara.  
  
"Yes, he was to bring it to me so that I might have it for when the one that Helm sent would get  
here. You are the one that Helm sent so it now belongs to you. Its name is Forestfire." Silvara  
explained as she handed the ax back.  
  
"Where can we...we find a...a place to w...warm up?" Tas stuttered from the cold.  
  
"Follow me!" Silvara instructed as she headed back the way she came.  
  
The trio walked for a few minutes before they came to a cave that was shrouded in snow. It  
blended in with the snow-covered rocks all around it.  
  
They walk in and instantly, Tas shed his cloak and winter tunic (He had a normal tunic underneath.)  
  
The whole cave was warm enough so that no winter clothing was needed. The three sat down and  
started to talk.  
  
"I have been up here, fighting off goblin hoards to keep the pass open so that Ten Towns in  
Icewind Dale is supplied. Winter is nearing and they are still low on some supplies." Silvara  
stated plainly.  
  
"Couldn't you just inform the caravans to bring more fighters with them?" Tas asked, wanting to  
go back south where it was warmer.  
  
"They only crave to make as much gold as they can. The more fighters that employ, the less gold  
they get. So they only send like 5 fighters when they require 20." Silvara shot back.  
  
"What can we..." Dinan started as he heard sounds outside. Dinan jumped from his spot and landed  
by the door, with his axes out and ready to fight.  
  
He stood face to face with a male Drow, a human female, a male Dwarf and a huge human male. In  
the Drow's hands were two scimitars, ready to fight.  
  
Dinan brought his axes up and swung them in a downward arc, which was blocked by the scimitars.  
Out of thin air, a swift hammer came flying toward Dinan's head but was deflected by Forestfire  
and an elbow to the human male's gut sent flying back a few feet. A huge battle-ax was the next  
to come, being swung by the dwarf. Dinan dodged then slam his axes right onto the dwarf's helm,  
driving it tightly on, blinding him.  
  
The scimitar came in a deadly sideways arc but Dinan's axes were faster and blocked. Dinan swung  
Forestfire to the right and his other ax to the left then tried to bring them together of the  
Drow's head. The elf blocked them but was left open for Dinan's kick to the gut and chest, which  
sent the Drow elf flying further than the human male.  
  
"Stop!" Silvara yelled as Dinan stood above the Drow, his axes held above his head.  
  
Dinan suddenly couldn't move a muscle. Silvara had put a hold person spell on him. He tried to  
move didn't things and found he could still talk.  
  
"Why Silvara? I was about to kill this stinking piece of filth." Dinan roared in anger.  
  
"Dinan Ko'Tret, meet Drizzt Do'Urden, Rogue Elf from Menzoberranzan. He is a follower of  
Mielikki, Goddess of Rangers and the Forest. He wouldn't have harmed you if you would have  
stayed your hand." Silvara scolded harshly.  
  
"Good to meet you, old timer." Drizzt sneered as he walked into the cave.  
  
Silvara dropped the spell once the others were inside the cave. Dinan moved his stuff to a far  
corner to be away from the new people.  
  
"Dinan, Tas, this is Cattie-Brie." Silvara said as she pointed to the human female.  
  
"This is Wulfgar." She said pointing to the human male.  
  
"And I am Bruenor Battlehammer, King of the dwarfs." The dwarf scowled from beside the fire.  
  
"I am Tasslehorn Thornfield and this is my partner Dinan Ko'Tret." Tas smiled warmly.  
  
The group talked for hours and when it was time to sleep, Drizzt and Dinan were given the first  
watch.  
  
"Dinan, sorry for my remark earlier. I shouldn't have called you an old timer, especially because  
you beat me, which only my own father has been able to do." Drizzt sighed as he sat by the fire.  
  
"Thank you. I'm sorry for attacking you. I have seen only a few Drow after I came to the surface  
but all of them were trying to kill me to get Lloth's favor. I don't trust any Drow except for  
you and Silvara now." Dinan replied as he sharpened his axes for the third time that watch.  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
The days went by slowly but Dinan and Drizzt quickly became good friends. They even trained  
together so that they could work better as a team, if the need arise.  
  
A week after the groups got to the cave, a caravan came into sight. It had no fighters to defend  
it and only one person as the driver.  
  
"Hey, why don't you have any fighters?" Silvara asked coming up to the caravan.  
  
The driver let out a hiss and tried to grab Silvara but its hand was gone before it got there.  
The driver threw back his head t reveal a male Drow.  
  
"Come with us back to Menzoberranzan, Ko'Tret. Lloth wants you to be her head commander of the  
fighters." The Drow tempted Dinan.  
  
"Shut up." Dinan sneered.  
  
The Drow let out a roar and within seconds, ten goblins popped out of the snow. They all carried  
crude swords.  
  
"Goblins? I beat twice this many before." Dinan snorted.  
  
The goblins shimmered and were replaced by Drow fighters.  
  
"You were saying?" the driver laughed.  
  
Dinan rush forward and smashed headfirst it a Drow's gut, followed by a swift death from  
Forestfire.  
  
The pass erupted into fighting. Dinan was swinging his ax, blocking up to three Drow at a time.  
Drizzt was casually dodging the attacks and getting in some good hits of his own. Silvara dodged  
as gracefully as Drizzt and would smash a head or two with her quarterstaff.  
  
"Help!" Cattie-Brie screamed as ten hidden Drow popped up and grabbed her.  
  
Dinan unsheathed his magical dagger and launched it with all his might. It arced at the group and  
stuck hilt-deep into his back. Dinan yelled a single word and lightning shot out of the dagger,  
striking down four more. The other five got away with Cattie-Brie.  
  
Wulfgar tried to run after them but they were quicker than him and he soon lost them. He trudged  
back to the group with a frown that bore deep into the heart, ripping it apart.  
  
Dinan walked over to retrieve his dagger and a glint of metal shone on the Drow's hand. He leaned  
down and pulled a simple silver ring off the Drow's hand. It had four emeralds and some runes  
carved on the inside. Dinan slipped it on, hoping it wasn't cursed.  
  
"What are we going to do?" Silvara asked after a few moments.  
  
"We go after them to get Cattie-Brie back!" Bruenor shouted.  
  
"I agree." Drizzt acknowledged.  
  
"I will go." Dinan affirmed.  
  
"I will kill every single one of those Drow if one hair is hurt on her head!" Wulfgar fumed.  
  
"Then it's agreed, we will go save Cattie-Brie." Silvara confirmed as the group set out, after  
the Drow party. 


	5. Champions of the Hall

Quest for Life  
By: Shinto of Lave  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Shinto: *Wheezing* I never knew Drow were that quick. Dinan would give the Flash a run for his  
money.  
  
Dinan: So Shinto, where's the disclaimer? If you give the people one, I'll give you a piece of  
cake.  
  
Shinto: YEA!!! I don't own anything of Forgotten Realms except Dinan, Silvara & Tasslehorn are  
owned by themselves (ME!). *Grabs the whole cake and runs)  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
The Drow party quickly made it back to the cave that led them back to the Underdark. They had  
gagged and bound the human female, so she couldn't inform her friends where they were.  
  
/Should we take this human back to the city? She could be a good sacrifice/ the Drow that carried  
Cattie-Brie said in the Drow hand language.  
  
/No. We'll drop her off in the Hook Horror's den and hope it will have a good lunch/ the leader  
replied.  
  
"No you will not!" Cattie-Brie yelled as she pulled out the gag, shattering the Drow's eardrums.  
  
"What?" the leader yelled in amazement.  
  
"She will be sacrificed on the alter to Lloth. Now plug her mouth again!" the Drow leader ordered.  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Dinan crept ever so slowly, following a trail that could only be seen by the three Drow in the  
group. Dinan lead with Drizzt and Silvara holding second and third in line. The rest followed in  
a line behind the three.  
  
/Do you think they're setting a trap? / Dinan signaled to Drizzt.  
  
/Maybe. But I bet they're going to head back to their city. / Silvara interjected.  
  
"Why must you do that?" Bruenor grumbled from behind Silvara.  
  
"Shh!" Tasslehorn hissed at the dwarf.  
  
"The Drow might be just around the next turn. We have to talk like that so we aren't overheard."  
Drizzt whispered in Bruenor's ear then went back to his spot in line.  
  
The party continued forward for a few more minutes when they heard Cattie-Brie's statement and  
they forgot all stealth. They bolted as fast as they could, with Wulfgar out beating Dinan,  
Drizzt and Silvara.  
  
"Let go of her or you will just be a bloody smear on Aegis Fang." Wulfgar yelled so loud he  
shook a nearby hill of snow.  
  
The Drow looked at Wulfgar then bolted into the cave, leaving Cattie-Brie in the snow. Wulfgar  
skipped up to the girl and undid the bindings.  
  
Cattie-Brie went up on her toes and gave Wulfgar a kiss on the cheek. He blushed as the other  
party members walked up to surround them.  
  
While the party was busy, the leader of the Drow party gave a quick look back and his eyes  
grew big right before he turned and ran back to his group.  
  
"I'm going after the patrol." Dinan stated as he bolted into the cave.  
  
"I'll go too. You guys guard the entrance." Drizzt added as he followed Dinan  
  
"Me too." Silvara quickly laughed as he slinked into the dark cave.  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Sir, should we have dropped the female like that? She really could of gotten us in Lloth's  
pleasure as a sacrifice." A Drow whispered to the leader of the party.  
  
"Did you not see who those three Drow were? The one with the axes was Denkaro Ko'Tret, Rogue  
Drow that Matron Baenre has been trying to find for 75 years, the one with the scimitars was  
Drizzt Do'Urden, Renegade Drow with the deadliest blades in all of the Underdark, and the female  
is Silventara Baenre, Daughter of Matron Baenre and she too is a Rogue Drow. We can report our  
finding and we will get enough of Lloth's pleasure because we will have brought down three of  
the most wanted runaways." The leader shot back forcefully.  
  
A grin crossed every face in the group as they hurried toward Menzoberranzan. But they didn't  
know just how close their "friends" were.  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"When will those three get back?" Tas whined as the group of four sat around a campfire, outside  
the cave.  
  
"Will you be quiet?" Cattie-Brie shot back.  
  
"Fine!" Tasslehorn yelled as he stalked away from the group.  
  
Tas walked all the way back to the cave that they had all met up in and he went inside. He  
grabbed some food and took a seat by a small fire that he made.  
  
"Why does everyone seem to hate me?" Tas grumbled through bites of meat.  
  
"They are jealous of you and want the world to forget all about you, Tasslehorn." A familiar  
voice sounded from the walls.  
  
"My lord!" Tas reverently bowed as the God of Death walked into the cave.  
  
"Arise!" Myrkul smiled as the halfling stood up.  
  
"What brings my lord to this cold place? Surely he has work to do in his Realm." Tasslehorn  
replied.  
  
"I have come to test your loyalty to me. I give this short sword to you. It is called Deathcry.  
It will serve you well, if you serve me well." Myrkul smiled as he handed the halfling a short,  
black sword.  
  
"I will serve you, my lord. What is the test?" Tas bowed again.  
  
"I want you to kill one of Drizzt Do'Urden's friends. You can pick which but you just have to  
kill one. And make sure nobody sees that you kill the person." Myrkul laughed as he walked out  
of the cave.  
  
Tas smiled as he looked over his new short sword with a childlike glee. He yanked out the sword  
he had gotten from Helm from its sheath and slid Deathcry in.  
  
"Which one will get to meet my lord first?" Tas laughed as he threw his cloak around his  
shoulders and headed back to the three that were back at the cave that led to the Underdark.  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"We're getting close to the portal. I can't wait to reap our reward for this information." One  
of the Drow eagerly laughed, rubbing his hands together in delight.  
  
Suddenly, he slumped forward and landed on the ground without a head.  
  
"And what reward would that be?" Dinan laughed as he sauntered out from the shadows.  
  
The Drow party went crazy and tried to run in every direction at once. Three more went down to  
Drizzt's deadly blades and Silvara's whip.  
  
"So, how's Matron Baenre? Has it been, 25 years...no...50...no...oh yeah, 75 years now. I wonder  
if she still has Lloth's favor, especially after she lost me." Dinan laughed at the last two  
Drow.  
  
Before any of the group could do anything, the leader of the Drow party bolted and disappeared  
into thin air but his friend was as lucky. He slumped to the ground with Forestfire stuck in his  
head.  
  
"Should we try to follow him?" Drizzt asked as Dinan retrieved his ax.  
  
Silvara prodded at the air where the enemy had gone through.  
  
"Portal's closed and I don't know for sure where it took him." Silvara sighed.  
  
Dinan knelt by the Drow he had downed and put his hand on the Drow's forehead. A picture formed  
in Dinan's mind and he saw where the portal went.  
  
"The portal was a direct link to Menzoberranzan, just outside the Baenre House." Dinan stated as  
he broke the link and stood up.  
  
"How do you know that?" Drizzt asked in surprise.  
  
"I've had an ability ever since I was born. I can see into people's minds by touching their  
foreheads. It even works on dead people but to get a good image, they need to be dead less than  
24 hours." Dinan replied with a nod as he searched the dead Drow for anything of worth.  
  
He pulled out a scroll tube, a spell book, some gold, silver and platinum, and a single undamaged  
dagger that glistened blue in Mage Sight. Drizzt took the dagger, some of the coins along with  
Silvara. Dinan took the left over coins and the spell book and scroll tube, as gifts to Mystra.  
  
"Let's head back. I don't think the Drow will be back." Silvara laughed as the three turned  
around and headed back to the cave mouth and their friends.  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Was Tas getting on your nerves?" Cattie-Brie asked the two guys that were with her sitting  
around a small fire.  
  
"Sort of but you didn't need to be that harsh." Wulfgar frowned back at her.  
  
"He deserved it." Cattie-Brie shot back.  
  
"Yes, he did but you could have been a little nicer." Wulfgar snarled back.  
  
"Sit down!" Bruenor snarled like a lion.  
  
Wulfgar sat without giving it a second thought. He also kept his mouth shut, same as Cattie-Brie.  
  
Tas was just in earshot and had heard the whole thing. He silently slid Deathcry out of its  
sheath and padded up behind Wulfgar. He brought the sword back then plunged it into the  
barbarian's back, right where his heart was. He quickly pulled the bloodless sword back and  
sheathed it then slid into the shadows.  
  
Wulfgar slumped to the ground. The silence was shattered only by a high pitch screech that  
emitted from Cattie-Brie. She screeched so much that she lost her voice and fainted.  
  
Bruenor knelt down and propped up Wulfgar's head. His eyes looked out into thin air and his hand  
was frozen in trying to reach for something behind him.  
  
"You were like a son to me, Wulfgar. You worked for me for five years. You became the mighty and  
caring man I've grown attached to. You will be dearly missed by all." Bruenor whispered as he  
gently closed his adopted son's eyes.  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Dinan, Drizzt and Silvara came walking out of the cave a few hours later and saw a dismal scene.  
Wulfgar's body laying on the group, covered with his cloak, Cattie-Brie still unconscious,  
Bruenor sitting straight up and very inflexible and Tas sitting next to Bruenor.  
  
"What happened?" Silvara asked.  
  
"Wulfgar was killed by somebody or something from behind and what's strange is that it left no  
blood in him. He only has a single wound, which is straight to the heart. I was the one who undid  
his cloak and covered him with it." Tas rattled back to the trio.  
  
Drizzt knelt next to Cattie-Brie and took her hand. She slowly came to, smiling at the handsome  
Drow and thought of giving him a kiss.  
  
The group headed back to the first cave, Dinan and Drizzt carrying Wulfgar's huge body. They made  
plans for Wulfgar's burial near Ten Towns.  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
The next day, the whole group headed north, toward Ten Towns. Cassius of Bryn Shandor met the  
group at the gates of Bryn Shandor. He arranged all the stuff for Wulfgar to be given a huge  
funeral to commemorate him as a guardian of the cities.  
  
The funeral lasted for a week. Each night, there was a feast in Bryn Shandor and the Champions of  
the Hall (Dinan and Tas getting numbered as part of the group) were named as Honorable guests and  
sat with the Councilors  
  
After the week was through, life returned to Ten Towns and the Champions of the Hall moved back  
to the pass.  
  
"Tas and I must go back down to tell Helm and Mystra that we have finished the task. We were  
pleased to be numbered as part of your wonderful group." Dinan bowed to Drizzt and he extended  
his hand to shake Drizzt's hand.  
  
"You are always welcome in Mithril Hall as one of my guests. May your gods watch over you and  
keep you safe my friends." Bruenor bowed back.  
  
"Dinan, before you go, I would like to give you a gift." Drizzt said as he reached into his pouch  
and pulled out a small, white tiger cub," He has no name but he is loyal and will be a great  
companion."  
  
"Thank you Drizzt. Before I go, may I see your panther? I've heard so much about it from Drow who  
were hunting us both down." Dinan asked as he gently stroked the tiger's small head.  
  
Drizzt pulled out a panther statue and whisper the name, "Guenhwyvar."  
  
A mist formed out of the statue and soon turned into a sleek black panther. It padded up next to  
Drizzt as he introduced the panther to Dinan and Tasslehorn.  
  
Dinan gently patted Guenhwyvar's head, who replied with a purring sound. Tas just stayed as far  
away as he could but not seem like he wanted to get away.  
  
"Dinan, I'm going to go with you. With the problem here done, I must see what Helm wants of me  
now." Silvara said she walked up to Dinan with a pack on her back and her quarterstaff in her  
hand.  
  
The group split in two and went their separate directions. Each group seemed to not want to part  
but had to.  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Lord Helm, I come before you to ask what you wish of me to do, for the problem you had me to fix  
has been done." Silvara reverently prayed to the God of Protectors.  
  
Out of thin air, Helm and Mystra stood once more in the Realms.  
  
"You have done well Silvara. And you too Dinan and Tasslehorn." Helm smiled.  
  
"Lord Helm, what is it that I might do to serve thy now that the pass is safe." Silvara asked.  
  
"Go with these two and help them in all that you can. You know much that these two can learn.  
That is my task to you." Helm stated as he gently placed his hand on Silvara's shoulder.  
  
"Lord Helm, I serve no god but I have seen much holy might and I wish to be one of your  
followers." Dinan kneeled to the God of Protectors.  
  
Helm's seemed to think about it then gently laid both hands of Dinan's back. The two of them  
glowed for a brief second then he proclaimed, "Raise Dinan, Cleric of Helm."  
  
Dinan rose to his feet and looked at his god, then gave a deep bow and said, "I will serve thee  
well, my lord."  
  
Mystra stepped forward and said," I have a third task for the three of you. Go to the island of  
Brynnlaw. There you are to find a mage by the name of Kigrato. You are to take the Firestalker,  
a magic amulet that acts like a spell book, away from him and bring it back to me." Mystra fumed  
as she recalled the information, "Kigrato was one of my High Clerics and he stole it from one of  
my temples. He broke a holy law and he must be punished."  
  
"I will obey thee, Lady of Mysteries." Dinan bowed followed by Silvara.  
  
"I'm sorry but I have to go on my way. I have other things to do." Tasslehorn boldly announced.  
  
"If you leave before the task we have for you are done, you will be out of our protection and an  
easy target for vengeful people." Helm replied in a stern mood.  
  
"I'll take that risk!" Tas yelled as he walked out of the shrine  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Tas walked for many days, only stopping at night to sleep and to pray to his unholy god.  
  
"You have served me well, little one. You have proven your loyalty to me and you have thrown off  
the shackles of those two gods that only wanted to bind and changed everything about you." Myrkul  
said as he conversed with Tasslehorn one night.  
  
"What is your next task for me to do, my lord?" Tas asked.  
  
"You are to get me magic items, wherever you can find them." Myrkul sneered as he dissolved into  
thin air but his laugh remained. 


End file.
